Overall impression: The red banquettes and oversize mirrors are here. So are the steak frites and the escargots. But as much as I wanted to love this charming, 5-year-old French bistro, I left only liking it. Call it the summertime blahs, but the staff — in and out of the kitchen — seem to be working at half speed.

Ambience: It's all here, from the globe lighting fixtures to chalkboard specials. I especially loved when the red curtain on a brass rod was pulled back to open up the dining room. Altogether, the 7,500-square-foot restaurant has 86 seats, including 35 on the terrace. Unfortunately, I found the dining room extremely warm, which may be Pistache's way of reminding diners of the dismal state of Parisian air conditioning.

Starters: You can't go to a French restaurant and not have Burgundy escargots ($12) in garlic butter, which we sopped up with the fine bread basket. Onion-soup gratinée with Gruyere ($9) was not quite gratinée enough, with three slices of baguette floating atop a surprisingly mild-flavored broth. Duck foie gras terrine ($26) was more gelatinous terrine than luscious foie gras, but it was wonderfully presented with toasted brioche and cherry compote. I was also put off by the $26 price tag. Steak tartare ($14) was gray and sludgy and a little heavy with capers. I not only prefer a coarser grind, but I want it served a few degrees colder than at Pistache.

Entree excellence: Classic coq au vin ($24.50) was beautifully served in its own white casserole dish, with almost too many potatoes. My serving was a leg and a thigh. The red-wine-braising liquid was thankfully well skimmed of fat. Steak frites ($27.50) was described as "house cut steak." I'm never sure why French restaurants operating in the United States don't just serve a simple strip steak or rib eye. The steak was tender, but the fries were greasy. Same went for the pommes frites that accompanied the hamburger (or is that hambur-JAY?), a tasty and simple USDA prime beef patty dressed with romaine, tomato and onion on a toasted brioche bun. Sweet potato and coconut mahi-mahi ($26.50) is a nod to South Florida, but this piece of fish was overcooked and a little too fruity.

Sweet! Lemon cheesecake ($8.50) had an almost caramelized char to its top. It was delicious. Pudding Breton ($7.50), the classic brioche bread pudding, was near perfect with just the right amount of rum and raisins and creamy creme anglaise. Crepes Suzette ($8.50) didn't make it to the table soon enough after being ignited. The result was a sugary, soaked pile of French pancakes.

Service: Efficient, but not always there when we wanted.

Liquid assets: Wonderfully concise wine list with an emphasis on value. Between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Fridays in the bar, glasses of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label cost just $8.

Finding a good hamburger in South Florida has never been easier. Start at Georgie's Alibi, a favorite with the Riverwalk Burger Battle. Next up would be BurgerFi, the ever-growing local chain where each restaurant is built according to environmentally sustainable best practices. Don't forget...

By John Tanasychuk, SouthFlorida.com Here are six spots that take the guesswork out of restaurant meals. Four are exclusively vegan or vegetarian. Canyon Ranch Grill and Farmer's Table serve meat, but only lean, top-quality cuts.

By John Tanasychuk, SouthFlorida.com One of these years, the National Football League will realize that Super Bowl Sunday is really Chicken Wing Sunday. This year, 1.25 billion chicken wings will be consumed on that day, according to the National Chicken Council. Nearly two-thirds (65...